Pages

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Any careless words uttered on Kashmir issue can definitely rake up controversies with severe repercussions and that's what Arundhathi Roy's remark did. In response to these controversies, she wrote a letter in one of the leading newspapers of the country, where she threw light on the sad plight the Kashmir people has to endure and no Indian can dispute this. But this has got nothing to do with Arundhathi Roy's remark.

A decade back, the entire nation was disgraced due to the Babri Masjid demolition. It had its rippling effect in the neighbouring countries, especially Bangladesh. Indians and the whole world could not forget the horrendous Godhra carnage. We witnessed a series of terrorist’s attack which had a heavy toll on people's lives. It's saddening to say that dystopia exists in one of the biggest democracies in the world. The utter confusion has been hovering over country for a long period.

Religion has already wreaked its havoc. The imbroglio has become too much intense that it cannot be glossed over anymore. But the people who have been dwelling in those place never renounced their identity of being an Indian.Callous words can only add fuel to the feud. Hence, writers like Arundhathi Roy should at least show some sagacity at these crucial moments. People like her should make use of every possible opportunity that make a dent in people's lives rather than derailing the equilibrium of the country.

Should creative artists always be given the freedom to express their own ideas? Should government impose any restrictions on their ideas?I thought about it a lot and this is what I have come up with and I also expect your valuable comments on this.

“Freedom of expression “is the most significant factor in creativity. If we put the creative artists in a pigeonhole and ask them to respond accordingly,will result in the ineffectiveness of their work. But what about today's chaotic, intricate and confused scenario?

Could granting the above mentioned liberty can pose severe problems. As the world is moving towards ruthlessness and where religion has started to have its absolute sway, whatever the creative artist produces will have its own repercussions. We have seen many instances where books, films, music, paintings falling into the trashes of controversies. This reminds me of the controversy, M.F. Hussain had to encounter. He created nude paintings of hindu deities and mother India, hence is being deplored as an anti- hindu. He had come under fatal attacks from hindu fundamentalists and some of them went to the extent of vandalizing his paintings. He has been living in London and Dubai since then and now Qatar has come forward to grand him its citizenship. He is 95 year old who has a scant opportunity to return to his motherland, India.Salman Rushdie's is yet another example. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of Iran issued a fatwa against him for his most controversial Satanic Verses. He called the book a blasphemy against Islam. Hence asked for his execution. It was only after the death of Ayattollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Rushdie could come out of his hiding and also from the police protection.

Taslima Nazreen's Lajja was banned. It describes the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition in Bangladesh, which is the neighbouring country of India where the incident took place( theme was the persecution of a hindu family by muslims).She rose to fame due to her feminist views and criticisms of Islam. She always wrote about female oppression for which she always came under severe attack. She had to flee from her country, Bangladesh and was forced to live in many countries. For quite a while, she got asylum in Kolkata, India which she had to renounce due to the attack from Islamic fundamentalists. Currently, she is residing at Sweden.

Music also could not evade any criticism. Films are also not an exemption. These are just a few instances to show the acceptance of people as they are by people.

It is the creative artist who can give a new face to think. Curbing their freedom would be like shackling them. But what if the same efforts create a hubbub and disrupt the equilibrium in the society? A little discrepancy can wreak havoc.So I always wonder what is needed to have an unbiased outlook.